Voices of the Community

You know what’s sad about the disabled community? We’re okay with the bottom of the barrel representation we get in congress with the bare minimum in benefits. We’re told to be grateful for the American’s with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Fair Housing Act (FHA) because we are “lucky” to have them.

When I broke my neck at 18, I quickly realized the world was not as accessible as I perceived it to be on two feet. I will be the first to admit my ignorance of disabilities and what the needs of the disabled were.

For the past month I’ve had writer’s block. It’s not unusual for writers to experience this from time to time, myself included. This block, however, is different than anything I’ve ever encountered. It’s numb, almost hollow.

The more information I gather on disabled parking, the more I am disappointed in the current system.
Swallow a few of these facts:
The total number of disabled parking plates and placards have nearly DOUBLED in the last 15 years...the number of spaces required has stayed the same.
Disabled plates and placards account for 8% of registered plates/placards in Arizona, but the ADA requires 4% at most, often only 2%,...

These medical supply companies have no accountability. Also, HIPAA bar’s me from asking about what other patients receive as far as cost of catheters. However, that doesn’t even matter because both Symbius and LoFric refused to give me any breakdown of charges.

A few years ago at LAX, my flight had arrived early, and I sat alone, waiting for my ride to weave through L.A traffic to pick me up. Bored, I tried to kill some time by scrolling through Facebook. I looked up just in time to see a man walking towards me.
He stopped right in front of my chair and started with my all-time favorite line, “I hope you...

Believe me, nothing about being in a wheelchair or needing a titanium frame is a luxury. Wheelchairs are expected to last from three to five years before insurance covers another. My wheelchair is part of me. It gets a lot of wear and tear and needs to be replaced more often than insurance allows. I could go on and on. I am not a complainer. I do, however, feel...

Recently, North Carolina, my home state, passed HB2 (House Bill 2, aka "the bathroom bill," aka "Hate Bill 2"). The main portion of the bill, which has been politicized, is the bathroom portion of the bill, which requires people to use the bathroom of the gender listed on their birth certificate. This was in response to a Charlotte ordinance allowing transgender people to use the bathroom of the gender...

Why don’t they have stricter standards? Ignorance. The federal and state laws are written by able-bodied people who couldn’t be more ignorant of what someone with a true disability needs. The current situation and laws perpetuate the stereotype that people with disabilities are second class citizens. There is a lack of knowledge, and that needs to change. Our medical field and government perpetually victimize people with disabilities. Whether it...

To some people, this may not seem like a big deal. What’s the problem with being allowed to bring one of your best friends with you everywhere? Unfortunately, it’s a huge problem. Every legitimate service animal has been evaluated, and will continue to be evaluated to make sure that it is suitable to be out in public where you may experience large crowds, loud noises, and a huge list...

It is inevitable that everyone in their lifetime will get sick, old and in need of healthcare. The fact that we have private health insurance companies and pharmaceutical companies profiting off of our illnesses is outrageous. Insurance is supposed to be for things that MIGHT happen. With 100% certainty, every American will get sick and old. There is no might about it. But as long as we have big...

This world is not fully accessible to me. However, that should not impede me from trying to participate fully in life. So what can be done about this guilt? I am trying to make it a daily practice, to ask for the things I need and reasoning with myself why it is necessary and why I should not feel bad about it. I should not feel bad about asking...

So, to the media outlets who want to do a positive story about a person with a wheelchair, creating a remarkable new enterprise, or simply winning the Nobel prize, please remember to be BOUND by what is the morally and factually correct way to describe an entire group of individuals who are trying to overcome pity, fear, and discrimination. Continuing to use these type of words and descriptions...

I went with my boyfriend to Costco yesterday, but before we started shopping I needed to stop by the bathroom. Besides having to use my wheelchair, another condition of my SCI is when I gotta go, I gotta go. I need to pee fairly quickly so I don’t have any issues, and by issues I mean piss myself. Yup, I said it. It is what it is.
Well, I rolled...

I hear this stuff, and part of me is irritated, and I'm like "oh, not this comment again." Part of me was amused, but more importantly, I was inspired. Feeling this way moved me to write this article. I thought, why not discuss how I felt about the stereotype that I deal with regularly

There will always be those people that are awkward with the fact I’m a quadriplegic. I don’t mind that at all. What do I not like? The people who try to tell me their occasional gout is just as debilitating and requires disabled parking and government assistance.

So what is the uproar all about? The article accompanying the photoshoot is an interview with the 18-year-old, and she is clearly more in charge of her decisions than many give her credit, yet, should she be accountable for not understanding how so many in the wheelchair using community feel about her using this "prop" for a gimmick?

Do I hope for a cure? Yes. Do I get angry there isn’t one? No. Why? It’s not healthy. I learned early on that my happiness depended greatly on focusing what I can do, and not what I can’t. I know, it sounds cliché, but I don’t care because it works for me. So am I anti-cure? Definitely not, I would give up a lot in my life to...

Last year Medicare published a rule (CMS Rule 1614-F) that will place cuts on complex rehab accessories and seating. PUSHLiving.com and other advocacy groups throughout the country are sharing this information on social media as a way to get the word out.
Please visit http://www.unitedspinal.org/essential-crt-components/ and take action by writing your representatives by clicking the "Take Action" button.
The White House Petition that was initiated failed to meet the required 100000 signatures, reaching only 28,000 who signed...

MourningGlory
The chronicles of my daily life as a disabled woman, modeling pictures, poetry, and a hefty dose of pure ridiculousness.
If you want to be captivated, shocked, amused, educated and pushed to your comfort levels, this blog is the place to land. Beth Cox is no wall flower, and she doesn't hold back...so this is not the place for the squeamish or those who may find themselves offended by talk of sexuality,no...

High Top Table Trend: How restaurants and bars have managed to exclude us post-Americans with Disabilities Act
Well, here is the newest "problem" we are encountering in our quest to have a full and socially inclusive lifestyle...high top tables! I truly hate this trend, and I wish the ADA or other local laws would address this issue.
No matter where we go today, the high top table trend is finding its...

When I sustained my spinal cord injury three years ago, I was nothing short of terrified. I wondered "will I ever walk again"? I did my physical therapy and got as strong as I could, but my life as I knew it was over. I so desperately wanted a cure, but I was given zero chance of ever walking again. I started my research, but amongst all of the...

I travel because I want my mind and my heart and my soul to overcome the boundaries that my body now feels. I travel in spite of the fact that it is “inconvenient” in that I am unable to walk onto the plane or to simply stand up and use the bathroom when needed, or that I have to spend innumerable hours planning and seeking out where I may...

Yannick Benjamin is a powerhouse in every sense of the word. He is a world class sommelier based in New York City. When he's not sharing his wine expertise, he's busy being an accomplished para-athlete. In fact, while listening to his incredible insights, he was getting in his daily exercise by handcycling. In addition to his career and his athletic success, Yannick is the co-founder of Wheeling Forward, a...

This story line is the news feed and all over the media. Have her walk on braces, and it is an even BIGGER story.
Apparently it's a miracle and inspiration, and the groom is a great guy for marrying a woman in a wheelchair. She is an inspiration for putting her paralyzed legs in braces so she can struggle and forgo the ease of simply rolling down the aisle.
Message sent:...

Gina is C 5/6 quadriplegic from a diving accident on October 11, 2003. She graduated with a BS from Arizona State University and the Phoenix School of Law.
Gina is a California farm girl who moved to Arizona to go to culinary school at age 18 yet, broke her neck shortly after diving into a shallow pool.
She saw firsthand how disabled parking was severely misused and abused shortly after her accident when she was left stuck...